Description
Object description
British cadet at Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, GB, 1956-1958; officer served aboard HMS Kildarton and HMS Puncheston during Cyprus Emergency in Mediterranean and Indian Ocean, 1958-1959; served aboard HMS Loch Fyne and HMS Loch Ruthven in Indian Ocean, 1959-1961; student pilot trained at No 1 Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, GB, 1961; trained as helicopter pilot with Bristow Helicopters Ltd at Redhill Aerodrome, GB, 1961-1962; served with 706 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in GB, France and United States of America, 1962-1964; served with 845 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm during Indonesian Confrontation in Borneo, Malaysia, 1964-1965; served with 707 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 1966; trained on Westland Wasp Conversion Course at HMS Osprey, Royal Naval Air Station Portland, GB, 1966-1967; served as pilot with HMS Juno in GB coastal waters and Caribbean, 1967-1969; served as senior pilot with 829 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB and Norway, 1970-1971; commanded 846 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB and Norway, 1972; commanded 848 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Albion in Mediterranean, Caribbean and Norway, 1973-1974; commanded 846 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB and Norway, 1975-1977
Content description
REEL 1 Background in GB and Federation of Malaya, 1937-1955: family; father's Captain Arthur Knapp's service with Royal Navy in Far East; experiencing German Air Force attacks in Scotland; German Air Force bombing of family home in Surrey; education; desire to join Royal Navy; first trip at sea whilst father Captain Arthur Knapp was commanding HMS Diadem, 1945. Aspects of enlistment and training as cadet with Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, GB, 1956-1958: initial failure to pass entrance exam, 1953; joining college, 1/1956; sporting activities; attitude towards period at college; organisation of cadets; accommodation; syllabus; sea training; instructors; parades; story of saving seaman in rough sea whilst serving on board frigate HMS Venus off Plymouth.
REEL 2 Continues: engineering training; boat handling and sailing; pranks played on future Admiral William Staverley; organisation of cadets in divisions; attitude towards period at college; visit to Portugal during sea training; passing out parade. Recollections of period as officer aboard HMS Kildarton and HMS Puncheston in Mediterranean and Indian Ocean, 1958-1960: duties during Cyprus Emergency; amusing story of playing admiral at squash; patrols around Cyprus; story illustrating relations between Royal Navy and Greek Cypriots; reasons for nickname 'Blackfoot Squadron'; searching coastal vessels; further details of relations between British service personnel and Cypriots; character of 'ton' class minesweepers; method of conducting mine sweeps; ship's armament and handling.
REEL 3 Continues: voyage aboard HMS Puncheston from Cyprus to Singapore, Federation of Malaya via India. Aspects of period as officer aboard HMS Loch Fyne in Indian Ocean, 1960: appointment to frigate in Persian Gulf; story of creation of larger entrance to coral reef in the Seychelles; return to GB. Aspects of period as officer aboard HMS Loch Ruthven in Indian Ocean, 1960-1961: reaction to appointment to frigate; character of captain; background to volunteering for helicopter training; air experience with Bristow Helicopters Ltd in Oman; prior recollection of obtaining watch keeping certificate. Aspects of flying training as student with No 1 Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, GB, 1961: reasons for using De Havilland Canada DCH-1 Chipmunk; attitude towards training; sequence of instruction and soloing; story of taking control of light aircraft during trip to Borneo, Malaysia; ground school; amusing story of attempting to land at wrong airfield; navigation training.
REEL 4 Continues: need to obtain commercial licence; practising forced landings on take off; question of air awareness in fixed wing and helicopters; opinion of De Havilland Canada DCH-1 Chipmunk; location of instructor. Aspects of helicopter flying training at Bristow Helicopters Ltd at Redhill Aerodrome, GB, 1961-1962: method of controlling helicopters; familiarisation flight; control of tail rotor; controlling pitch of helicopter; turning helicopter; character of Hillier Helicopter; location of pilot in helicopter; hovering helicopter and need to use small movements; story illustrating how flying helicopter never leaves pilot; objects that pilot needs to be aware of in landing helicopter; taking off; instructors; character of Westland Whirlwind; visibility in Westland Whirlwind.
REEL 5 Continues: low failure rate amongst his group of 'volunteers'; question of students who failed the course; importance of three dimensional spatial awareness and co-ordination. Aspects of period as pilot with 706 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, France and United States of America, 1962-1964: appointment to squadron; background to training as weapons instructor on missiles in France; heavy weapons training with Royal Marines; participation in flying trials of helicopter rockets in United States of America; problems with 4 Inch Rocket attached to rocket; further details of heavy weapons training with Royal Marines; weapons testing with Bell H-13, Sioux Helicopter in United States of America; adjusting to flying new type of helicopters; story of flight to border town in United States of America; test flying helicopters; background to joining 845 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in Far East; converting to and character of Westland Wessex HAS.1.
REEL 6 Continues: Recollections of operations as pilot with 845 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm during Indonesian Confrontation in Borneo, Malaysia, 1964-1965: joining squadron in Borneo, 4/1964; Gurkha lunches; contrast in flying between Fleet Air Arm and Royal Air Force; intensity of flying; types of operations flown including firing machine guns; problems with primitive maps; navigation over jungle; carrying underslung loads; method of emplaning and deplaning troops from helicopters; troop and load carrying capacity of Westland Wessex HU.5; difficulties of climate and terrain; flying into jungle clearings; incident of sucking up debris into engine in jungle clearing and later fate of helicopter; stories of loss of two squadron pilots and helicopters.
REEL 7 Continues: survival of petty officer during second helicopter crash; story of visit to Nanga Ghat during 1980s, including description of long house; story of taking control of light aircraft during visit to Borneo, 1980s; description of Nanga Ghat during tour; mess activities with Special Air Service and Guards Independent Parachute Company; pro-British attitude of Iban people; demeanour of Indonesian prisoners of war; head hunting activities of Iban people; incidents of problems with helicopters; request to take sick man to Sibu.
REEL 8 Continues: story of flying sick man from Nanga Ghat to Sibu in poor weather at night and subsequent award of Queen's Commendation for Bravery (QCB), 27/11/1964; intense nature of flight; health threats; maintenance of helicopters; problems with electrical fuel pump light on Westland Wessex HU.5; operating without fuel gauges; television interview in Australia after end of tour; loss of engine in Westland Wessex HU.5 when flying with Lieutenant John Kelly of 848 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm. Aspects of period as pilot with 707 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB and aboard HMS Juno in GB coastal waters and Caribbean, 1965-1969: attending Lieutenants' Course at Royal Naval College, Greenwich, GB, 1965; role as weapons instructor with 707 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 1966; attending Westland Wasp Conversion Course at HMS Osprey, Royal Naval Air Station Portland, GB, 1967; character of Westland Wasp Helicopter; anti-fast patrol boat exercises in Norway with 829 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm; operating Westland Wasp from HMS Juno; incident of losing oil pressure in Westland Wasp.
REEL 9 Continues: duties as pilot aboard HMS Juno. Aspects of period as senior pilot with 829 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm and commanding 846 and 848 Naval Air Sqdns, Fleet Air Arm in GB, Mediterranean, Caribbean and Norway, 1970-1977: role as senior pilot with 829 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm; opinion of AS.12 Missile; commanding 846 and 848 Naval Air Sqdns, Fleet Air Arm; flying with 846 Naval Air Sqdn in winter conditions in Norway; use of Royal Navy officer's flat on Malta; taking command with 848 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Albion in Mediterranean; return to 846 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm; leaving Royal Navy, 1977; attitude towards service with Fleet Air Arm.